My curiosity caught on fire during a post-Covid trip to Aruba. Seeing all the shuttered storefronts, I was stunned when my stepson, David, told me Bula Surf Shop had not only survived, but also continued to break its own sales records. When David casually mentioned “Yair and I are still having fun,” I knew I had to unravel the mystery of how their business defied the odds so spectacularly when most start-ups fail within a year. 

I’m a zealous wordsmith and storyteller with a background in strategic planning for new ventures, large and small.

I thought it would be fun–and useful–to apply the lessons I’d learned about business success to David and Yair’s quest for personal and financial freedom.

I used my research and interviewing skills to dig into their mindset as entrepreneurs. When they started Bula in 2003, they had zero retail experience or financial reserves. Right away I noticed a pattern of breaking the rules. They refused to advertise. Never put their products on sale. And deliberately stayed small when they could have franchised or expanded.

It took me more than two years to piece together the clues to their counterintuitive ways of seeing things, and I drew heavily from the fields of social science, philosophy, and creativity to paint the picture.

If you’re a Malcolm Gladwell fan who loves contrarian business insights, this book’s for you. Join the Little Giant book community and get a free sample.

What sets the book apart?

For starters, it’s set in a tropical paradise and has pretty pictures! More seriously, I don’t know of a biographical business book about two brilliant, self-effacing good guys who win in the end. Little Giant  tells their personal story while weaving in observations about work, play, and entrepreneurship. Their adventures–the rookie mistakes, the crazy trials they overcame, and their unexpected triumphs–show us we can live cooler lives than we might imagine.

There aren’t formal takeaways like the ones you often find in business books. Little Giant is more like having a friend by your side, pointing out curiosities along the way. I hope readers will look inward and take away their own lessons, such as:

• One of the most ambitious feats is to live true to yourself.
• It often takes a series of zigzags and switchbacks to find your true path.
• The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your relationships.
• We can’t script success; it’s a constant series of experiments.
• No one has all the answers, even the experts.

Absolutely! Almost right away, I saw my blind spots as a writer-journalist. Although I had never surfed a day in my life, I assumed surfing was primarily a sport for hygiene-challenged stoners. Wrong! David and Yair opened my eyes to the difficulty and discipline it takes to ride a wave, and they coached me on the many ways their passion for ocean sports gave them an edge in business. 

As a Baby Boomer who had dutifully climbed the corporate ladder, I never expected to absorb so many life-changing lessons from a couple of rule-breaking Gen Xers!  I’ve struggled all my life to relax and enjoy life’s small moments. I can’t say I’m cured, but I am happier than I’ve ever been. This is the single biggest gift that came out of writing a book…a dream that’s dogged me for as long as I can remember.

Why this book now?

I hope Little Giant will give people a hopeful alternative to the post-pandemic hustle culture. Lots of people are experiencing high levels of stress and loneliness, especially men. The book offers a powerful antidote by showing how David and Yair prioritized their friendship and work-life balance over a profit motive. Together, they grabbed hold of life far better than either imagined by making their relationships a priority. In popular culture, in books and movies, we don’t get to see the inner dynamics of a deep, committed platonic bond like theirs. The book fills that void by showing us all the ways the quality of our relationships–our community–contribute to our well-being.